clarkhoward.com: Clarchives clarkhoward - Clarchives April 19, 2006: "Bill collectors about to call your cell
Bill collectors are trying to make it legal for them to repeatedly call your cell phone to try and collect a debt. The justification is that people usually give a cell phone number as a contact when they hire a service or conduct business. This law is probably going to go through, so Clark has a suggestion for you. Many people no longer have a home phone number so they give out their cell phones. But there is a way to give out a home phone number that doesn’t cost you a thing. Lycos is offering free home phone numbers that are answerable through your computer. So, check it out and give companies that number instead. Also, if you’re being harassed by a bill collector, your greatest ally is your answering machine. Record these calls and tell the bill collector that because you are required to. And, you can be sure the collector will start to behave or just hang up all together when you tell them that. It is against the law for bill collectors to harass you, so don’t take it."